Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2003-03-26-Speech-3-131"
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"en.20030326.8.3-131"2
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". – Mr President, first of all, I would like to thank the European Parliament, and in particular the rapporteur Mrs Van Brempt, for the work that has gone into this report in reaction to the Commission’s Communication 'Towards a thematic strategy on the sustainable use of pesticides'.
The sixth Environment Action Programme introduced the new concept of thematic strategies and requires the Commission to develop them in close consultation with all relevant parties. The Commission launched this broad consultation with the Communication. More than 150 comments were received via Internet and following a stakeholder conference with almost 200 participants, the Council adopted conclusions in December 2002 and the European Economic and Social Committee did so in January 2003. With this report of the European Parliament, the consultation process will be concluded.
The Commission welcomes the Parliament’s broad support towards the general approach and the main objectives presented in the Communication. The numerous detailed comments and requests contained in the resolution will be fully taken into account in the development of the future thematic strategy.
However, I would like to draw the attention of the Parliament to three particular issues raised in the resolution, where the Commission could face some difficulties with implementation. These issues are also addressed in the amendments tabled for the plenary.
The first one relates to the scope and goal of the future thematic strategy. The Parliament calls on the Commission to extend the scope to include all uses of plant protection products, agricultural and others, and also biocides. I can assure you that it has always been the Commission’s intention to cover all uses of plant protection products. But for the reasons already explained in the Communication, the Commission thinks that for the time being actions should be focused on plant protection products. Only these are also specifically referred to in the sixth Environment Action Programme.
Secondly, the Commission takes note of the emphasis that Parliament's report puts on an overall quantitative reduction of the use of pesticides, whilst the Communication puts more emphasis on reducing the risks. I would like to underline once more that there is no direct link between the quantities of pesticides used and the risks they can pose to health and environment. In fact, there are cases where substances are much more active and can be used at lower volumes, but because of their higher activity they pose higher risks to the environment. Nevertheless, the Commission recognises the interest of seeking a reduction in use as one possible tool to achieve reduction of risks. Given that the Member States are setting out from very diverse starting points due to efforts made in the past, it is extremely difficult to establish overall quantitative use reduction targets. Such targets should, however, be considered by the Member States when they establish their national action plans.
Lastly, Parliament's report urges the Commission to develop a regulatory framework for taxes and levies on pesticides. As outlined in the Communication, this is a very complicated area – in particular the calculation of the real externalities of pesticides – and the effects of introducing such levies in some Member States have been more limited than originally expected. The Commission will, therefore, have to examine the problem further before making any proposals.
In conclusion, I would like to emphasise again that I consider the Parliament’s resolution to be a very important contribution in the consultation process. We can now get to work and start the development of the details of the strategy. I am confident that I can count on the Parliament’s continued support in our efforts to further improve the sustainable use of pesticides in the EU."@en1
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